tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post2664471319879411185..comments2023-11-03T05:49:10.841-04:00Comments on Storytelling Rules: Would you rather write one great book, or three good ones?Maureen McGowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-89331262506004194282012-01-20T15:48:44.858-05:002012-01-20T15:48:44.858-05:00I've been thinking about this all afternoon an...I've been thinking about this all afternoon and still don't have an answer. I think I'd like to write at least 2 books a year but have them read as if I spent years on them. :)<br /><br />My fantasy/dream is that a happy medium exists between the two. I guess a realistic wish is to always have at least as long to revise as I take to write the first draft... Then if the story worked first time out, I'm golden, but I have time to completely tear it apart if it's not working...Maureen McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-28673567290034416462012-01-20T15:32:40.516-05:002012-01-20T15:32:40.516-05:00Depends . . . do I get paid the same amount for th...Depends . . . do I get paid the same amount for the one great book as I do for the three just good books? If so, I'm definitely a one book girl. I'd love to be able to take that kind of time.Eileenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09803986849921870941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-86843972583763836352012-01-20T13:37:36.879-05:002012-01-20T13:37:36.879-05:00The pressure to write fast, and maybe in recogniza...The pressure to write fast, and maybe in recognizable time periods has made bestselling authors, who first couple of books are so much better than anything else they've written. <br />I'm thinking to two in particular that I can no longer read, but whose first trilogies are on my keeper shelves. <br />Writers look for variety in setting and style, but I think readers are looking for comfort and familiarity a lot of the time. <br />I hope I'm wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-79457495039875546832012-01-20T12:29:43.422-05:002012-01-20T12:29:43.422-05:00I'll take 70% any day of week!
Because I'...I'll take 70% any day of week! <br /><br />Because I'm now obsessing... I definitely think you need to start with 1 great book and be able to follow quickly with competent. Then when you hit the NYT - I would love to see authors who need to slowing down again.<br /><br />Sometimes I think you get excellent - Really Good, Pretty Good (at this point I'm still a reader) then the publishing houses seem to put you in the factory... then it's Okay, Okay, Sort of not good (now you're starting to lose me as a reader.<br /><br />But is that a result of time? Or is it just that sometimes you write good books and sometimes you write bad books?Stephanie Doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448686465587131952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-14162557713329441142012-01-20T11:24:24.129-05:002012-01-20T11:24:24.129-05:00I think it's a complicated answer - for those ...I think it's a complicated answer - for those authors who take a year, how much of that year is in a vacuum? Or is part of that year, going back and forth on edits? Because I would really really guess there's not many authors who take a year and write a great book without imput - too much time in the vacuum and you just end up dicking around...second guessing yourself, chasing down tangents, writing a million words to get a hundred thousand. Think about the Night Circus and how much of her process was in rewrites?<br /><br />But I don't think that is the question - I'll be happy with competent. I don't have any more big ideas...my brain is working consistently at about 70%.Molly O'Keefehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15171236688541657736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-67576240967486972342012-01-20T10:37:59.007-05:002012-01-20T10:37:59.007-05:00Oooh awesome post. And a question I really struggl...Oooh awesome post. And a question I really struggle with because I think I'm still caught between wanting to write what I want... and wanting to be a succesful writer.<br /><br />I can look back at my writing career - and see decisions I made that I think cost me. I feel like I'm at that place even now. Do I want to try and write 3 category books a year, and try to build momentum and try to (hopefully) gain some readers... or once again do I want to chuck all that and spend 6 months working on a historical that may or may not see the light of day? <br /><br />Now I don't know if I spent a year on a book if I could ever make it as great as a Bourne book... I just don't think I'm as talented. <br /><br />But certainly it would be better than the 3 category books if only because I can only give so much time to each of those category books to be able to meet the deadlines.<br /><br />Wow I'm going to be thinking about this all day. Great question.Stephanie Doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448686465587131952noreply@blogger.com